Smithwick's
 Smithwick's logo |
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| Type | Irish red ale |
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| Manufacturer | St. Francis Abbey Brewery, Kilkenny, Ireland |
| Alcohol by volume | 3.8% (Ireland), 4.5% (North America)[1] |
Smithwick's (pronounced /ˈsmɪθɨks/ or /ˈsmɪtɨks/, not like the town of Smethwick /ˈsmɛðɨk/) is an Irish red ale style beer from Kilkenny in Ireland. Smithwick’s was originally brewed in St. Francis Abbey Brewery in Kilkenny, known as 'Smithwicks Brewery' until c.2000. The brewery is situated on the site of a Franciscan abbey where monks had brewed ale since the 14th century, and has ruins of the original abbey on its grounds. It is Ireland’s oldest operating brewery, founded by John Smithwick in 1710 on land owned by the Duke of Ormonde.[2] It is the major ale producer in Ireland. It was purchased from Walter Smithwick in 1965 by Guinness and is now, along with Guinness, part of Diageo. Smithwick's as most people know it today was originally created as a special brew for the first Kilkenny Beer Festival, later called Smithwicks No. 1 and now just Smithwicks. The head brewer in those days was Ron Girdham. Smithwick’s for the domestic market is brewed in Kilkenny and the higher strength export variety is brewed in Dundalk. Smithwick's is listed in the top five best tasting beers by the McHale beer rating club of Ireland.
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[edit] Regional Pronunciation
Due to the differing accent and dialects of Ireland, it is generally pronounced /ˈsmɪθɨks/ /ˈsmɪtɨks/ /ˈsmɪdɨks/ or /ˈsmɛθɨks/ there. When ordering in the USA, /ˈsmɪθɨks/ or /ˈsmɪdɨks/ is preferred, while /ˈsmɪdɨks/ is the most prevalent pronunciation in Canada.
"In the Old Kilkenny Review, year unknown, Peter Smithwick, K.M., Solicitor, wrote that the tradition of Kilkenny is that Sullivan’s Brewery was founded in 1702... Daniel Sullivan, allegedly a Protestant, bought the property in trust for Pierse Bryan of Jenkinstown, who was Catholic but prohibited by the Penal Laws from buying land... Twenty years later a Protestant informer got a decree declaring himself the owner of the property...The property was on the West side of High Street, "standing backward in James’ Street." It is believed that this was the site of Sullivan’s Brewery, the forerunner of Smithwicks."
[edit] Variations
- Smithwick's Draught has a ruby red tone with a stable, but slightly thin head. It is produced using hops and special roasted, malted barley. Its texture is smooth and refined, with a bitter and complex finish. Although of lesser fame than Guinness, Smithwicks is often regarded as the 'local favourite' amongst Irish pubgoers. In 2004, Diageo PLC began distribution in the USA. Smithwick's had previously been marketed in Canada with great success.
- Kilkenny Cream Ale is similar to Smithwick's Draught; however, it has a cream head similar to Guinness, and it has a stronger taste (more bitter than Smithwicks).[citation needed] The 'Kilkenny' name was originally used during the '80's and '90's to market a stronger version of Smithwick's for the European and Canadian market due to difficulty in pronunciation of the word Smithwicks; but it now refers to a similar yet distinctly different beer.
- Smithwick’s ale has been awarded six gold medals in the Monde Selection Beer Tasting Competition[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Kitsock, G. "Wearing Green, Drinking Red", Washington Post, March 14, 2007.
- ^ Diageo - Smithwicks
- ^ <While dining in the Restaurant Pierre Gilbaud, Lower Baggot St., Dublin, with then-US Ambassador to Ireland Jean Kennedy Smith, I asked her to attempt to obtain for me a piece titled "The Sullivans of Kilkenny." She was gracious enough to put her staff to work and forwarded the piece as partially quoted above.>
- ^ Diageo - Prizes
